ADEPTUS CRITICUS GAME REVIEWS

Developer – Jasozz Games

Publisher – 3D Realms

Platform – PC

Review code provided – No purchased-on steam.

Cultic is another Retro FPS that has entered the arena of what some will say is the over saturated genre but Cultic doesn’t just borrows from the games of the 90s it perfects the formula. Jasom Smith (Jasozz Games) has expertly combined horror with satisfying combat of a classic boomer shooter to create something special. Chapters 1 & 2 are not just throwback pieces of entertainment they are the gold standard for the modern retro FPS, proving that you can have style and substance.

The Art of Brutal Combat.

The combat experience is defined less by the weapons themselves and more by the physics and feedback. Enemies don’t just fall, they are dismembered leaving behind piles of manged remains, every shot feels devastating. The melee kick is a tool that you will find you will use quite a bit you can kick cultists off ledges or send back grenades that are thrown at you, the game will make you use every tool to your advantage to survive the grotesque horrors, and the fleet footed robed fanatics.

What sets Cultic apart from its peers is the feel of its gunplay. Every pull of the trigger carries a weighty consequence, turning each encounter into a tactical blood fest and survival. The core loops revolve around an arsenal that is familiar and still just as satisfying, the shotgun in particular feels brilliant to wield and has a satisfying punch when your shells hit.

Atmosphere, Aesthetic, and Dread.

While the action is relentless, the atmosphere is what truly sets Cultic apart. The game has a unique aesthetic that blends lo-fi, deliberately blocky environments with detailed high-resolution sprites and particles. This style creates a persistent sense of dread and mystery, where the world feels like a broken rural landscape.

The sound design is another key factor in really driving home the feel of dread from the music to silence keeping the tension constant. The pacing ensures that the adrenaline spikes of combat are balanced by stretches of exploration to find secrets and weapon parts to upgrade your arsenal.

Level Design: Labyrinths of the Occult.

Chapter 1 serves as an excellent introduction guiding the player through dense forests and ramshackle churches, establishing the core mechanics, Chapter 2 however is where the level design truly shines. The game shifts from a linear sequence to a more open structure making the levels feel larger which encourages resource management and careful route planning. Finding hidden supply caches, unlocking shortcuts back to safer areas and uncovering the lore hidden in cryptic notes are all vital parts of the experience. There is plenty of replayability with all the secrets to find and optional paths you can take.

In Conclusion.

Cultic: Chapters 1&2 triumph of focused, intentional game design. It avoids trying to be the next Doom and has crafted its own identity through exceptional gun feedback, a masterfully unsettling atmosphere and intelligent nonlinear level design, it doesn’t just replicate the glory years of the 90s it elevates it.

This is a game that should be in every retro FPS and modern FPS fans library it is for me without question the new gold standard by which all future throwback and modern shooters will be judged by.

Score: 10/10